Darrell Antwonne Arthur was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended the University of Kansas and was the starting power forward for their 2008 NCAA title team. He was drafted 27th overall in 2008 by the New Orleans Hornets, but had one of the craziest draft nights, check this out:
June 26, 2008: Drafted by the New Orleans Hornets in the 1st round (27th pick) of the 2008 NBA Draft.
June 26, 2008: Sold by the New Orleans Hornets to the Portland Trail Blazers.
June 26, 2008: As part of a 3-team trade, traded by the Portland Trail Blazers to the Memphis Grizzlies; the Houston Rockets traded Nicolas Batum to the Portland Trail Blazers; the Memphis Grizzlies traded Donte Greene and a 2009 2nd round draft pick (Sam Young was later selected) to the Houston Rockets; and the Portland Trail Blazers traded Joey Dorsey to the Houston Rockets.
Arthur has only suited up for the Grizzlies and the Nuggets and was acquired by Denver (along with the draft rights to Joffrey Lauvergne), in another draft day trade, for Kosta Koufos. For the Nuggets, Arthur is averaging 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 18 minutes a night, through 21 games. The team relies a great deal on Arthur’s defensive game and he has had a few key moments for the Nuggets; including his 7-7 performance (14 points) against the Toronto Raptors in a 112-98 win on December 1st.
That's Arthur the player, now let's get to know a little more about the man.
Nate Timmons: We talked a bit at media day about what you have been enjoying about Colorado (fishing and visiting the mountains). Now that you've been here for a while longer, what have you been liking about Denver?
Darrell Arthur: Now that it's getting kinda cool, but early in the summer I liked walking around and getting to know the city. From my house I just walk over to downtown and try different restaurants and stuff like that. I definitely like being outside, I'm an outdoorsman. I like to go fishing, hopefully this summer I'm going to learn how to fly-fish. That's what I like to do … be outside and just enjoy it.
Timmons: Tell me a little bit about your family and your siblings.
Arthur: I have a brother that lives with my mother and two brothers that live with my father, in Houston and Dallas. My brother goes to school, so my mom can't leave to come out here a lot, but she'll be out here for the holidays.
Timmons: Do they go see you play when you are in Houston and Dallas?
Arthur: Most definitely, [my mom and brother] didn't get a chance to come to the Houston game, but most of the time they get to come. Definitely in Dallas, my family will be there.
Timmons: Let's say you have an off night, what can we find you doing when you don't have a game?
Arthur: Well, Nate [Robinson], Wil [Chandler], Q [Quincy Miller], and I have been hanging out a lot. We found a spot called Asian Cajun, a crab spot down the street, it’s pretty fire. We’re about to go to the movies now and see The Hunger Games, so we’re just trying to get to know each other, hang out, and get our camaraderie together.
Timmons: Did you read The Hunger Games?
Arthur: No, I didn't read it, but I saw the first movie so I gotta see the second one. I heard it was a good book though.
Timmons: So, you're hanging out with Nate and Wilson, but you don't seem to have any new tattoos.
Arthur: No no no, I plan on getting some, but I got to figure out what I want. My grandfather had passed a couple years ago so I might get something for him, for sure. But I don't like to get random tattoos, I like to get meaningful stuff.
Timmons: What's on your iPod?
Arthur: I listen to a variety of things, it depends on the mood I'm in. I can listen to rap, R&B, I have some alternate rock, Lana Del Rey is one of my favorite artists, I can listen to country at times, rock and roll, just a variety of things.
Timmons: Do you like that Lana Del Rey song that was in The Great Gatsby?
Arthur: That's what made me download all her albums, that song was amazing. And I downloaded The Great Gatsby, that's a pretty good soundtrack.
Timmons: Who are some of your favorite artists that you find yourself going back and listening to?
Arthur: Old Juvenile back in the day when he was with the Hot Boyz, some old Lil Wayne, Big Pun, TuPac, Biggie, a lot of Dallas/Houston type music: Z-Ro, Bun-B, and those guys … they bring me back to my roots. I have so many people I listen to on my iPod.
Timmons: How about a favorite movie of yours?
Arthur: I like a lot of movies with Will Ferrell, I can go down the line: Talladega Nights, A Night at the Roxbury … movies like that. I like a lot of comedies, horror movies – Evil Dead was probably one of the best horror movies I've seen. I haven't seen The Conjuring yet, but I'm looking forward to that. I like Superman, I like all the Ironmans, Thor is a good movie and I'm looking forward to Anchorman 2. I'm a movie guy.
Timmons: Who is your favorite actor?
Arthur: My favorite actor right now? It's probably Leonardo DiCaprio, he's always playing his role to the T. I like Billy Bob Thornton a lot, he's funny to me. He is good in Bad Santa.
Timmons: How about a favorite actress?
Arthur: I like Jamie Chung, she played in Eden [2012], she's pretty good. Natalie Portman, she played in Black Swan and Thor. I have a couple different ones.
Timmons: If you like scary movies, you should check out The Descent – about a group of women that go exploring some caves and some crazy stuff happens.
Arthur: I gotta check it out. I like movies like VHS, Paranormal Activity, and that type of stuff – that could be realistic type of stuff. Gore movies like Saw, Michael Myers, Jason, those types of movies are not scary to me – they are kind of funny because you know what's going to happen and I just end up laughing at them. It's not scary to me at all, but the ones that get me are like The Ring because that could really happen. I'm really into American Horror Story, The Walking Dead, Grim, True Blood and a lot of different TV shows that I'm watching now.
Timmons: What do you think the fascination is with Zombies right now?
Arthur: I don't know, it's crazy. Every day there are different zombie movies and zombie videogames coming out. I'm not really into zombies because there is no end to it, they don't die. It's crazy, but Walking Dead is pretty good. I don't see how it's going to end with everybody living, I think everybody is going to end up dying [in that show].
Timmons: I've been listening to some podcasts where they have wound up talking about Sasquatch or Bigfoot. Being an outdoorsman, do you believe in Bigfoot?
Arthur: Not really. I don't believe in the S'quatch man. They are still talking about the Loch Ness Monster … I don't believe in those things. But I watch River Monsters and there are some crazy things that can be in that water. In Florida they have some sharks that can swim in fresh water and attack humans … that's crazy.
Timmons: You gotta watch that when you're fly-fishing!
Arthur: Yeah, I know.
Timmons: So, are you a cook at all?
Arthur: The only thing I can really cook: I can fry chicken, I can cook a steak. I'm still learning how to get my grilling down, so I'm going to practice that in the summer time. But my fiance does most of the cooking for me.
Timmons: How about a few of your favorite foods?
Arthur: I like a lot of fish: salmon, white fish, cat fish, crappie is my favorite. If I can get somebody that knows where the crappie spot is down here, that'd be awesome. That's my favorite pan fish.
Timmons: Do you get into sushi then if you like fish?
Arthur: Definitely. I like the caterpillar role with the eel and the eel sauce on there. They taste so good.
Timmons: Do you have any fears?
Arthur: I'm afraid of Wolves. I saw The Grey and it made me afraid of wolves … I don't want to get caught in front of a pack of wolves or it's over. Definitely not going to survive.
Timmons: Are you into videogames or reading?
Arthur: I'm definitely into videogames [XBox One]. Nate, Wil, Kenneth [Faried], and I play Call of Duty … trying to kill people. [laughs]
Timmons: How about a hidden talent that people may not know about you?
Arthur: I like to bowl, I learned to bowl in college. I'm really fascinated with spinning [the ball]. When I get out there I just have fun with it, I'm not that good, but I like to get out there and bowl.
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